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Sprouting KitsInterested in sprouting but not sure where to start? Stop by and check out all the kits we have for sprouting, microgreens, and wheatgrass. From bare-bones and basic to hearty and full, we've got a kit for you depending on your confidence, ambition, and budget.

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Soil scientist launching drone business to boost farmers' crop yields

Armed with a high-tech remote control and expertise in soil, Riverview Park resident Erik Apedaile pilots his drone over farmers’ fields, capturing photographs, and along with them, answers that can help boost crop yields.

The soil scientist and owner of Apedaile Environmental is using unmanned aerial vehicle technology to get a bird’s eye view of agricultural land. Using specialized sensors mounted on his drone, he can pinpoint sections that may be lacking in nitrogen – a crucial ingredient needed for maximum corn crop health.

The agrologist’s strength is in soil management and soil nutrients, but with the purchase of his first drone three years ago, he has taken his expertise to a whole new high-tech level.

Apedaile has already tested the drone’s abilities, flying it on missions and bringing back important data ahead of his plan to launch his drone business next spring. Read more

Oats to clean up heavy metals in contaminated soil

Researchers from universities in China, Switzerland and Australia have identified that the naked oat is best suited to remove radioactive strontium from contaminated soils.

The study, published in the International Journal of Phytoremediation, investigated 26 cultivars of wheat, husk oat, naked oat and barley for their potential use as a tool to clean up strontium from soils after a nuclear accident.

The naked oat, also known as the 'hulless oat', is a cereal crop with edible seeds in the oat genus Avena and during threshing, the hull separates readily from the grain.

Using plants to remove metals and various organic pollutants from the environment is an emerging technology known as phytoremediation.

Learn how to build your own chicken coop, beehive, cold frame, compost bin, barn, and hundreds of other projects!

Skill level does not matter! These plans can teach you how to become a proficient woodworker.

With the cool weather setting in, it's the perfect time to start looking into sprouting and microgreens to keep you supplied with fresh greens throughout the fall and winter!

If you're interested in learning how to get started with these nutritional powerhouses, check out our article tutorials, or drop by for an in-house demonstration.

Take Back the Farm is a proud supporter of the Safe Seed Pledge.

Factors Affecting Germination

Seeds are living organisms held in a state of suspended animation or dormancy. There are many factors that can affect the viability of seeds, including moisture, air, temperature, and light. In an ideal situation and environment, every single seed we planted would grow into a seedling, but as we all know, that doesn’t normally happen.

Although dormant, seeds are still slowly respiring and using food reserves within. When the right environmental cues wake the seeds up they begin to germinate and emerge from their hard seed coat. There are four major factors more

-Heather Jerrett

Handmade jewelry tells the story of Manitoba’s provincial soil

Soil is sometimes called the earth’s skin. Why not wear a little of it next to our own and tell others about it?

That was the idea that came to Manitoba agronomist and then Manitoba Soil Science Society (MSSS) president Kim Brown-Livingston around the time Manitoba declared its own provincial soil — Newdale Clay Loam (NCL) — in 2010.

Brown-Livingston started to talk with MSSS colleagues about this not-to-be-missed chance to raise awareness and pique interest in soil and soil science.

America's Most Influential Farmer, Talks Big Organic and the Future of Food

The New York Times calls him, "the high priest of the pasture." You may remember him from The Omnivore's Dilemma, in which he was profiled at length by Michael Pollan. Salatin's innovative farming system—where the animals live according to their "ness," the earth is used for symbiosis, and happiness and health is key—has gained attention from around the country, and he travels in more